Evaluation of 'In-Parlour Scoring' (IPS) to Detect Lameness in Dairy Cows during Milking.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of 'In-Parlour Scoring' (IPS) as an alternative to locomotion scoring in herringbone, side-by-side, and tandem milking parlours in Austria. Between January and May 2023, a total of 990 observations were conducted on 495 cows across eleven Austrian dairy farms by two investigators working simultaneously but independently of each other. The observation criteria included shifting weight, claw conformation, and obvious disorders of the distal limb.